Spanish Health Ministry Deploys Vaccines to Ceuta Amid Disease Concerns Following Migrant Arrivals

The Spanish Ministry of Health has convened an emergency session with the nation’s autonomous communities to coordinate vaccine distribution for migrants remaining in Ceuta following the large-scale arrivals from Morocco in late July.

The extraordinary meeting of the Public Health Commission took place on Monday, 24 August, via videoconference, attended by public health representatives from Spain’s autonomous communities and cities. The session focused on a single agenda item: activating a “solidarity mechanism for vaccines in relation to the situation in Ceuta,” according to reports from El Mundo.

The initiative aims to ensure the autonomous city receives sufficient doses to immunise the migrant population still present and to bolster defences against a range of infectious diseases. Planned vaccinations include the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, as well as immunisation against chickenpox, poliomyelitis, tetanus, and diphtheria.

The influx has placed significant strain on local health services. Between 31 July and 14 August, the National Institute of Health Management (Ingesa) recorded 5,801 medical consultations linked to the crisis, while the Red Cross operation on Trampolín beach conducted over 2,500 additional consultations. Demand peaked on 31 July with 1,149 attendances in a single day.

Health authorities have identified 18 minors with positive Mantoux tests and two confirmed cases of tuberculosis. Medical staff have also treated cases of gastroenteritis, scabies, and impetigo. The Spanish Army reported at least 24 scabies cases among personnel at the General Command in Ceuta.

The Spanish Society of Epidemiology cautioned against directly associating these diseases with migrant status, emphasising that health issues primarily stem from overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, and resource shortages affecting vulnerable populations.

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